Aston Villa, Chelsea may face UEFA ban due to FFP issues
Aston Villa and Chelsea could very well find it difficult to comply with UEFA’s financial rules next season. The governing body’s law, of course, only affects clubs that qualify for European competitions. Villa has already booked a place in at least the Europa League for the 2024/25 campaign, but they also remain in the driver’s seat for a Champions League place. The Blues, on the other hand, are currently fighting for a Conference League spot.
Both English top-flight teams revealed massive losses during the most recent financial report. Villa announced that they lost around $151 million for the 2022/23 year. Club ownership has not been afraid to spend in recent transfer windows. The influx of investing into the squad has, however, paid off. Manager Unai Emery has the team sitting fourth in the Premier League standings. They could potentially secure Champions League play for the first time in over 40 years.
Chelsea also recently reported huge losses of nearly $115 million as well. Although a lower figure than Villa, the Blues previously posted a loss of $154 million just last year. The combination of these two figures means that Chelsea’s situation is likely to be more concerning compared to Villa’s.
New UEFA rules may punish FFP violations of Chelsea and Aston Villa
UEFA’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) laws are actually quite different than the Premier League‘s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) that Aston Villa and Chelsea have skirted so far. The European governing body states that teams in their tournaments next season are only allowed to lose a maximum of $43 million over the last two campaigns. England’s PSR, conversely says that clubs cannot exceed about $133 million in losses over three years.
According to a report by The Times, Chelsea spent $94 million on agents’ fees alone this season. The Blues have also purchased 21 players in the last two transfer windows totaling a cost of around $568 million. Club brass managed to offload 10 players during this timeframe, but only at a profit of about $60 million.
Despite the seemingly precarious financial situation at the two clubs, both teams have claimed that they are on track to satisfy UEFA’s spending laws. Chelsea owner Todd Boehly even personally played down potential sanctions by the governing body.
“The club continues to balance success on the field together with the financial imperatives of complying with UEFA and Premier League financial regulations,” stated Boehly. “The club has complied with these since their inception in 2012 and expects to do so in the foreseeable future.”
Report claims any ruling may not be handed out until 2025
Nevertheless, it remains to be seen if either club will face expulsion from any of UEFA’s tournaments. The aforementioned report, however, claims that the governing body may not take action against the English duo until next year. This could very well mean that the two teams will take part in European competitions in 2024. They could then potentially face sanctions in future seasons.
Juventus is the most recent club to receive a similar expulsion for breaching UEFA’s FFP rules. The Italian side received a one-year ban from competing in the Conference League ahead of the current campaign. The Old Lady has since rebounded, as they are on the brink of securing a Champions League spot for the 2024/25 season.
Villa can qualify for the Champions League with a victory against Liverpool at the weekend. They can also book their place in next season’s top European competition if Tottenham Hotspur falls to Burnley as well. Chelsea now sits seventh in the standings and would be in a Conference League spot if Manchester City tops Manchester United in the FA Cup. The Blues are also in contention to nab a Europa League place, assuming they finish the season strong.
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